


The Charming Life

by sidhe_faerie



Series: Happy Christmas 2012 [11]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-16
Updated: 2012-12-16
Packaged: 2017-11-27 04:35:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/658067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sidhe_faerie/pseuds/sidhe_faerie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><b>Summary:</b>The Charming family have a picnic.<br/>-<br/><b>Written for "Lynzy Mcfadon" for "OUAT_Exchange 2012"</b></p>
            </blockquote>





	The Charming Life

**Title:** The Charming Life  
 **Recipient:** Lynzy Mcfadon  
 **Author:** [](http://sidhe-faerie.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://sidhe-faerie.livejournal.com/)**sidhe_faerie**  
 **Characters/Pairings:** Snow/Charming, Emma, Henry  
 **Spoilers:** none  
 **Rating:** G  
 **Word Count:** 1123  
 **Warnings:** none  
 **Summary:** The Charming family have a picnic.  
 **Author's Notes:** Enjoy! 

**The Charming Life**

At first glance they are the typical family out for a picnic on a sunny day. The Charmings are anything but typical. They are a combination of story book characters and the real world. They are magic. 

It was a bit chilly for a real picnic but a large thermos of hot chocolate with cinnamon and pints of soup and rolls from granny’s dinner made a good meal on a cold day. 

Snow and Emma were picking up the picnic remainders and Charming and Henry took out their wooden swords and started to ‘battle’. They were really getting into it when Snow and Emma finished picking up. 

Snow poured out two more cups of hot chocolate and handed one to Emma as she sat to watch the ‘battle’.   

“How do you do it?” Snow asked as she watched Henry and Charming ‘battle’ with wooden swords.

“How do I do what?” Emma didn’t really know what her mother was asking.

“How do you raise a ten year old boy?” Snow took a sip from her cup.

“I suppose it isn’t much different than a ten year old girl. You just love him.” Emma watched them. “It’s really easy. So this is what they did when we were gone.” 

Snow nodded. “I wish…”

“You wish what?” Emma looked over at Snow and saw the tears forming in her eyes. “Oh that.”

“Yes that.” Snow put her arm around her daughter and pulled her close. “Enjoy him. Treasure this time because these memories are precious.” 

“I wish you had memories of me growing up. Maybe I wouldn’t have done some of the things that I have done. Things I regret.” Emma confessed. “Things I can’t take back.”

“Do you regret Henry?” Snow asked. 

Emma stalled by taking a sip from her cup. “I don’t regret having him but I do regret not keeping him. Not at first but I do now. I know I gave him up to give him his best chance but I wish I didn’t have to. So I know how you feel about losing the chance to make memories. I only lost ten years you and my father lost twenty eight.” 

Snow gives Emma a squeeze. “We did what we had to do. I’m very proud of the way you turned out.” 

“Any of that hot chocolate left for two Knights tired from battle?” Charming said as he and Henry walked over. 

“May be a cookie too?” Henry said with a smile.

Snow poured out two more and handed them the steaming cups.

Emma handed Henry a chocolate chip cookie. She glared at Charming. “So this is what you have been teaching him? Teaching him to be a Knight.”

“He is the grandson of a Prince.” Charming shrugged. “It seemed right to teach him to use a sword and ride a horse.”

“He is a Prince.” Snow corrected. “He is the son of a princess.” 

“Great! The princess thing again.” Emma groaned. “I’d rather be a Knight.”

“Girls can’t be Knights.” Henry said as Snow handed him another cookie. 

“Why not? I fought a dragon too.” Emma protested. 

“Maybe we shouldn’t be so hasty. Your mom is right she has done battle before like a knight.” Charming said.

Henry shrugged and laughed as he handed Emma his sword. “Here. It’s your turn.” 

Emma smiled mischievously at Charming as she accepted the wooden sword. “Ready to battle me? I killed a dragon you know.” 

“Sure Princess.” Charming laughed and grabbed his sword and winked at Snow.

Emma groaned and rolled her eyes. “Watch and learn Henry.” 

They went out into the open to battle. Charming tried to take it easy on her but she went at him full force. She was keeping him on his toes. That was for sure. They were both breathless when Emma disarmed him.

Charming looked at the wooden sword at his chest and was surprised. “I can’t believe you did that. Your mother has been teaching you, hasn’t she?”

“Maybe a little but I am your daughter so it would stand to reason that I would be good at this.” Emma said as she lowered the sword.  

Charming looked over at Snow. Snow was trying very hard not to laugh. Charming looked back at his daughter. “You are more her daughter than mine. You are brave and fearless just like Snow.” 

Emma smiled. She was proud to be the daughter of Snow White. “That means a lot to me.”

Charming picked up the sword off the ground and bowed. “Princess.”

Henry came up to them. “Can we go see the horses now?”  

“Horses?” Emma looked at Charming. “What is this about horses.”

“I have my own horse. I take care of it and everything.” Henry said.

“A Knight must bond with his steed.” Charming patted Henry on the shoulder. 

“And how does this bonding occur?” Emma asked as he folded her arms.

“I have to feed it and give it water. Then I have to clean out the stall and put down fresh hay and brush him.” Henry smiled and looked up at Charming. “I have to do it twice, once in the morning and once in the evening.” 

“And have you been doing this every day?” Emma asked

“Yes.” Henry said.

“That is very responsible of you, Henry.” Emma said. “That seems like a lot of hard work.” 

“Responsibility and a little hard work are good for him.” Charming said.

“I agree.” Emma smiled at Henry.

Snow came up with the basket and the blanket folded up. “We should get going. The weather looks like it’s changing.” 

Emma took the blanket. “I think they have something to do so it will just be us until they get back.” 

“Oh?” Snow asked.

“They have horses to look after.” Emma said with a smile.

Snow looked surprised. “You are teaching him to ride? Because I could teach him to ride, it wouldn’t be any trouble.” Snow said. 

“We are just bonding at the moment.” Charming said. 

“With each other or the horses?” Snow asked.

Emma looked at Snow. “I think it’s both.”

“We can do that too. Bond I mean.” Snow said to Emma.

Emma nodded. “What do you say we go have a beer?”

Snow smiled. “Bye. Have fun with your horses.”

Emma and Snow laughed as they walked away. Charming looked a little upset.

“What is wrong, Grandpa?” Henry didn’t understand why he was upset. 

“Those two are just like.” Charming said as he watched them walk away.

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Henry asked.

“I’m not sure it is but at least it will be interesting.” Charming looked back at Henry. “Come on Henry the horses are waiting.”

Henry nodded and they headed for the stables.  


End file.
